''But what does the Government sell?''

His survival technique in the Big Smoke was to attend any cocktail party going, invited never. Just walk in, appear intelligent and no-one questions who, why or whether you are an official guest. In this way, he was always on top of the happenings in the media and advertising business. People probably trusted him because of his anonymity.

"It makes sense," I said, as the barman passed me my Windhoek Lager.

"But what do they sell?" asked Fred.

Ideas, ideology, themselves as politicians, the party, all manner of things. Advertising is a legitimate means of appearing correct, political or practical. Governments do it all the time.

"If Unilever can do it why not them?"

And, it serves the purpose of providing the properly "connected" ad agencies with a new and profitable stream of revenue. BEE has to be seen to be worthwhile, after all. No good doing the BE deal and not getting a bit in return. Of course there is no limit, given a bit of creativity, to what a government department can find to "sell". There is also no limit to how much they spend. The taxpayers foot the bill and that is a never-ending pot of money after all. No profit line, no accountability.

The media love it of course... a whole new stream of ad revenue... and as long as the media is PC, BE or ANC, it is a warm and cosy nest. How else to afford the TY (Tony Yengeni 4x4)? As long as the money flows, the media will not question whether this expenditure serves any purpose, why would they? Employment of otherwise unemployable journos, creatives, media planners and advertising sales people is also assured.

Fred reminded me that a wag writing in Campaign Magazine, London's ad rag, when Thatcher was in power, made the point that the amount spent by government departments was in direct proportion to their lack of doing anything practical.

As I left, I made a mental note to approach Delene Beukes at the ASA to ask her to amend their code of advertising practice to include a clause that allowed citizens to complain about advertising that serves no purpose.